CHAPTER VIII.

Events of 1774-Parliamentary proceedings-Boston Port BillSubversion of the charter-Recall of Governour HutchinsonGeneral Gage succeeds him-Proceedings of Virginia on the Boston Port Bill-Governour Dunmore dissolves the House of Burgesses-Proceedings of the other Colonies Massachusetts General Court meet at Salem-1st. of June observed as a day of fasting and prayer-Secret proceedings of the General Court at Salem-Their resolve to call a General Congress Adoption of that measure by the other Colonies, and appointment of Deputies.

We must now look to the effects produced in England by the proceedings of the Colonies, and the conduct of the people of Boston, in regard to the Tea. All anxiously waited for the meeting of Parliament, which was convened at Westminster on the 13th of January. But though the destruction of the Tea, at Boston, had taken place on the 16th of November of the preceding year, and though scarcely a merchant in London was ignorant of the fact, yet it seems the Ministry had not received such full information, or had not yet so satisfactorily made up their minds, as to prompt his Majesty on the subject and the speech from the Throne contained not a word of the transaction. Nor was a hint given of what the Ministry intended to do, until the 7th of March, when Lord North presented a Message from his Majesty to both Houses of Parliament, (accompanied by numerous papers, chiefly letters from the Governour of Massachusetts) in which his Majesty was pleased to inform them that "in consequence of the unwarantable practices carried on in North America, and particularly of the vio

lent and outrageous proceedings at the town and port of Boston, with a view of obstructing the commerce of this Kingdom, and upon grounds and pretences immediately subversive of its constitution, it was thought fit to lay the whole matter before Parliament-recommending it to their serious consideration what further regulations or permanent provisions might be necessary to be established." The Minister, on presenting the papers, took occasion to represent the conduct of the Bostonians in the blackest colours of fancy. He said, "that the utmost lenity on the part of the Governour, perhaps too much, had been already shown; and that this town by its late proceedings, had left Government perfectly at liberty to adopt any measures they should think convenient, not only for redressing the wrong sustained by the East India Company, but for inflicting such punishment as their factious and criminal conduct merited; and that the aid of Parliament would be resorted to for this purpose, and for vindicating the conduct of the Crown, so daringly and wantonly attacked and contemned."

The temper of the House was exactly such as to suit the Minister, and it was voted "that an address of thanks should be presented to the King, assuring his Majesty, that they would not fail to exert every means in their power of effectually providing for the due execution of the laws, and securing the dependence of the Colonies upon the Crown and Parliament of Great Britain." Some of the opposition were raised to a sarcastick smile at these assurances, which they said, "had been already often repeated, but that the measures hitherto adopted by Ministers for the support and dignity of the Crown had only exposed it to scorn, obloquy and contempt.-That to do the

Americans justice, it was necessary to trace these calamities to their origin, in a system of arbitrary and unwise measures at home." But the opposition went no further, and in a short time the Minister introduced a Bill for the immediate removal of the officers concerned in the collection of customs from Boston, and to discontinue the landing and discharging, lading and shipping of goods, wares, and merchandize, at Boston, or within the harbour thereof." The Bill also levied a fine upon the town as a compensation to the East India Company for the destruction of their teas, and was to continue in force during the pleasure of the King. It was opposed by a few individuals, but finally carried in both Houses without a division.

But this was only a part of Lord North's scheme of coercion and revenge. He had two other Bills ready, which were intended to place the Province of Massachusetts in terrorem before the other Colonies, to deter them from following her fatal example. By one of these, the Constitution and Charter of the Province were completely subverted, all power taken out of the hands of the people, and placed in those of his most gracious Majesty, and all the officers of the Province made dependent on the will of the King.

This Bill excited considerable warmth of opposition in the House of Commons, but finally passed by an overwhelming majority. In the House of Lords also it met with strong opposition, which however proved equally ineffectual. Eleven peers, among whom were the Dukes of Richmond and Portland, and the Marquis of Rockingham, entered a protest against the decision of the House, in which they say: "Before the

of the Colony of Massachusetts Bay, which they

derive from their Charter, are taken away, the definite legal offence by which a forfeiture of that Charter is incurred, ought to have been clearly stated and the parties heard in their own defence; and the mere celerity of a decision against it will not reconcile the mass of the people to that mode of government which is to be established upon its ruins. On the general allegations of a declaratory preamble, the rights of any publick body may be taken away, and any visionary scheme of government be substituted in their place. By this Bill, the Governour and Council are invested with dangerous powers, unknown to the British Constitution, and with which the King himself is not entrusted. By the appointment and removal of the Sheriff at pleasure, they have the means of returning such Juries as may best suit with the gratification of their passions and interests; the life, liberty, and property of the subject, are put into their hands without control. The weak, injudicious, and inconsistent measures of the Ministry have given new force to the distractions of America, which on the repeal of the Stamp Act were subsiding; have revived dangerous questions, and gradually estranged the affections of the Colonies from the Mother Country. To render the Colonies permanently advantageous, they must be satisfied with their condition. That satisfaction there is no chance of restoring, but by recurring to the principles on which the repeal of the Stamp Act was founded."

The third scheme of Lord North was a Bill for the impartial administration of justice in Massachusetts. The provisions of this Bill were somewhat similar to those of the Act of Henry VIII. the revival of which had created such loud clamour in the Colonies a few years before; with this difference, however, that this

Bill was designed to bring his Majesty's officers, who should commit murder in the execution of their official duties, to England for trial, lest the Juries of the Colony should prove too impartial to let them escape justice-whereas the Act of Henry VIII. was intended to convey those accused of sedition, to the immediate vicinity of his Majesty for trial, for reasons the reverse of justice.

This Bill likewise met with strong but ineffectual opposition in both Houses. Colonel Barrè, to whose honest independence of feeling, the Americans had been often indebted for defence and support, again ranged himself on the side of justice and the Colonies, and concluded a long and animated speech in these words; "You have changed your ground. You are becoming the aggressors and offering the last of human outrages to the people of America, by subjecting them in effect to military execution. Instead of sending them the olive branch, you have sent them the naked sword. By the olive branch, I mean a repeal of all the late laws, fruitless to you, and oppressive to them. Ask their aid in a constitutional manner, and they will give it to the utmost of their ability. They never yet refused it, when properly required. Your journals bear the recorded acknowledgments of the zeal with which they have contributed to the general necessities of the State. What madness is it that prompts you to attempt obtaining that by force, which you may more certainly procure by requisition? They may be flattered into any thing, but they are too much like yourselves to be driven. Have some indulgence for your own likeness; respect their sturdy English virtue; retract your odious exertions of authority; and remember that the first step towards making them contribute to your wants, is to reconcile them to your government."